Corn harvester



Jan. 6, 1948. E. J. SCHAAF ETAL CORN HARVESTER Filed Sept. 22, 1944 m I m; W5

Patented Jan. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES 2,434,124 I 001m mmvns'rna Edward J. Schaaf and son, Iowa, assignor's braska City,

Application September 22,

9 Claims.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in harvesters and more particularly to a machine in the forrm tractors especially adapted for harvesting sweet corn.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a harvester adapted to snap off the ears of corn from standing corn stalks in a much more efficient and fool-proof manner than is now possible with presentday harvesters.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a harvester of the character stated wherein means is provided whereby the corn stalks are fed back until the height at which the ears are located is reached and at which point the cutter severs the ears and to the end that they fall upon an adjacent elevator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a harvester of the character stated which in operation will reduce the loss of corn ears to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the at- 'tachmentt chine of present invention is generally referred to by numeral 6 and includes a frame 1 upon which the mechanism is mounted and by which it is secured to the tractor 5. The frame 1 is provided with bearings 8 for a drive shaft 9 which is interrupted by a universal joint H1. The shaft 9 drives the upper end of an inclined elevator H, the lower end of which passes into a shell or gathering point l2.

A longitudinally extending hood or guard I3 is disposed laterally and in parallel relation with respect to the elevator H and has a gathering point M at its lower end.

Over the edge of the elevator H adjacent the hood I3 is a roll l and it is preferable that the opposite side of the elevator H be provided with an upstanding wall Hi to prevent the ears of corn from falling off that side of the elevator.

of an attachment for Edwin F. Greedy, Anderto The Midwest 00., Ne-

Nebn, a corporation 1944, Serial No. 555,316

An elongated rotor H or square cross section has blades l8 secured by screws or the like I! to the four sides thereof and in such a mannerthat the cutting edges jacent sides of the rotor; The lower end of the rotor I! has a bullet-head-shaped nose onwhich is a spiral fin 2|. The small end of the nose is recessed and into this is disposed a pin 22 carried by a bracket 23, this pin serving as bearing upon which the lower end of the rotor is supported. Adjustable means 24 is provided between the bracket 23 and a supporting bar 25.

The cutting edges Ilia of the rotor l1 just barely miss the roll IS in their cutting action against the corn.

The upper end of the rotor I! has a shaft extension 26having pulleys 21 thereon over which drive belts' (not shown) are trained for driving the rotor in the direction as shown by the arrow 20 in Figure 3 from the tractor by means of a suitable power take-0E.

A bridge frame 29 is disposed over the elevator H and hood l3 to secure these structures to a sub-frame 30 and in proper spaced relation with to each other.

In the operation of this attachment, it can be seen that the attachment is directed along a row of corn and 'the stalks are gathered by the gathering points l2, l4 and into the attachment between t-he'roll l5 and the rotor I1. As the ears of corn come to a point between the roll l5 and a cutting edge 19a of the rotor [1, the cutting edge severs each ear oil? by its shank and the same falls over onto the elevator H where it is elevated and delivered from the machine as shown by the arrow in Figure 2 for further handling.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and 40 materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the as new is:

1. A com harvesting machine for cutting ears of corn from stalks in the field comprising: a mobile Vehicle frame; a stalk engaging guide mounted on said frame and extending longitudinally thereof in the direction of its travel; and a driven rotor journalled in the frame in substantially parallel spaced relation to said guide so as'to provide an open front passageway to admit standing corn between the guide and rotor, said rotor having a cutting blade provided with a cham- 55 fered cutting edge extending outwardly a subinvention, what is claimed Ilia thereof project beyond adtowards said guide, the guide being substantially coextensive with said cutting edge, and said rotor o! said blades having a forwardly extending cutting portion to travel downwardly towards said guide and cut into a corn stalk, said cutting portion extending farther from the axis of the rotor having a portion of its cutting edge spaced from than the body of the blade to provide space besaid guide a distance less than the diameter of a tween said body and guide into which the adjastalk of corn whereby the uide and rotor coopcent uncut portion of the stalk ma be drawn. erate to cut ears of corn from stalks passing th guide being opposite from said cutting portherebetween. tion and spaced therefrom a distance less than 2. A machine as sp c fie in l im in which the diameter of a stalk of corn whereby the guide a guird is mounted on the rramea ve t e r t and blade cooperate to feed the stalks downso as to prevent severed ears from falling on wardly and to sever ears of corn therefrom. the blade, and a driven conveyor is mounted on 7. A com harvesting machine as specified in said frame to receive said severed ears. claim 6 in which the stalk engaging guide is in 3. A machine as specified in claim 1, in which the form of a roll which is journalled in the frame. the front portion of the rotor is laterally adjust- 8. A machine as specified in claim 6, in which able to regulate the width of the space between the rotor has four flat cutting blades detachably the guide and cutting blade. mounted in overlapping relationship so as to de- 4. A machine as specified in claim 1, in which scribe a square about the axis of said rotor. the rotor has a plurality of cutting blades, and 9. A machine as specified in claim 6,in which each of the blades has its cutting edge extending a guard is mounted on the vehicle frame above outwardly and forwardly in the direction of rothe rotor so as to prevent severed cars from falltation. ing onto the blades, and a driven conveyor is 5. A machine as specified in claim 1, in which mounted on said frame to receive said severed the rotor has a square shaft to which a plurality ears. of cutting blades are detachably secured, and EDWARD J. SCHAAF. the chamfered cutting edge of each blade is v EDWIN F. GREEDY,- formed by a bevel on the outer face of saidblade.

6. A com harvesting machine for severing ears REFERENCES CITED of corn from Stal s i he fie d o p s The following references are of record in the mobile vehicle frame; a stalk engaging guide file of t patent: mounted on said frame and extending longi udinall-y thereof in the direction of its travel; and UNITED STATES P ATENTS a longitudinally extending driven rotor jour- Number Name D t nalled in the frame alongside of said guide so as 196,400 Terman t 23, 1377 to provide an open front passageway to admit 461,246 Meader O t, 13, 139 standing corn between the guide and rotor, said 880,139 Hahn 5, 1908 rotor having a plurality of cutting blades, each 923,806 Boda June 8, 1909 Disclaimer 2,434,124.E(lwa/rd J. Selma and Edwin F. Greedy,

ARVESTER. Patent Anders 41, Iowa. CORN dated Jan. 6, 1948. Disclaimer filed Sept. 28,

1951, by the assignce,- The Midwest Hereby enters this disclaimer to the specification,

and particularly to claims 6, 7, and 9, of any construction in which the cutting blades during their operation contact the opposed guide, or any construction in which tudinal cutting edges of said blades open passageway.

the longido not extend close to the front of the [Ofim'al Gazette November 6', 1951.] 

